Hydrophobins are a class of surface active proteins with approximately 100 to 150 amino acids. Self-assembly of hydrophobins is accompanied by conformational changes. Monomeric class I and class II hydrophobins are rich in [beta]-sheet structure. The hydrophobins are characteristic of filamentous fungi, for example of Schizophyllum commune or Trichoderma reesei. Up to now they have, inter alia, been described to form stable layers on surfaces that would be expected to inhibit the penetration or work as deposit matrix (binding the active ingredients to surfaces e.g. of materials and thus immobilizing it e.g. on hair or the like). This has been described (see e.g. WO 2004/000880). Also cosmetic compositions allowing the treatment of materials containing keratin, mucous membranes and teeth have been described, but again here the asserted mode of action relates merely to the high affinity of hydrophobins to keratinic surfaces of the human body, such as hair, skin and nails (WO 2006/136607) and their anchoring effect to any active or other ingredients for enhancing the concentration of the ingredients at the surface, allowing for a targeting to and a long duration of the effects on the surface of the keratin. Moisture addition and skin soothing properties or colouring are in the foreground here. No penetration dependent pharmaceutical effects are described or suggested. Especially, no examples showing an enhanced activity are provided—in fact the approach appears counter-intuitive as the improved binding should result in less free active ingredient being available at places where it is required, especially if treatment inside or below a keratinic layer is desired. This is also confirmed by US 2003/0217419 where it is described that on hair hydrophobin allows to obtain a cosmetic deposit that withstands several shampoo washes.
In many cases it would be desirable to improve the penetration of drugs (active ingredients) into and/or through keratinized surfaces of patient bodies, especially nail, so that pharmaceutically effective concentrations can be achieved at the required site.